I thank God for the many people who find the time to share their talents and gifts for the sake of the parish and all of its parishioners.  There are those venerable volunteers, the FFWDAW, (faithful few who do all the work) someone has named them.  The ones who can always be counted on, all of the time.  But, many of these faith-filled and faithful people are among the more “mature” of our parishes and are rapidly burning out from all that they do for our parishes.  Soon we will not be able to rely on today’s “faithful few”. 

Committed and motivated volunteersare the lifeblood of congregations.  They are the major contributors to the vitality of parish life.  I do not like to call these people volunteers, for they see themselves as disciples of the Lord.  They serve because they feel called by God to share their time and talent for the sake of the parish and the kingdom of God.  Yet it is increasingly difficult to find willing parishioners who have the time and commitment to ministry.  We live in a busy society—longer work hours, little discretionary time.  Many who come to the parish seek spiritual solace and guidance and ask, “What can you do for me?” instead of “How can I help in the parishes?”

We have been working on a ministry booklet.  In this booklet will be the various commissions listed with their mission statement and vision for the next few years’ work in our parishes.

One of the new ministries is the Communication Commission.  Its statement of purpose reads: “Communications need to be clear, consistent and available to all parishioners of Sacred Heart and Saint Brigid parishes.  Efforts will be made to investigate all forms of communication in an effort to best meet the needs of the Catholic Community.”

With all that is going on inside our parishes from printing worship aids and bulletins, to creating a newsletter and ministry booklet, to maintaining a website—finding time to communicate effectively with the parish and beyond the parish can be difficult.  Yet, more and more are we feeling the need to do just that.  How does one do that well?

We communicate by seeking disciples with the various skills needed to write articles about parish activities and coming events for the newspaper and newsletters, to do a few direct mailings each year, to place advertising in the local cable network, to learn television programming.  A great deal of this ministry is good public relations.

Do you have the talents needed for this necessary undertaking?  Then pray about your involvement in this ministry.  When you hear the call to serve, then call me at 781-862-0335/4646 or a staff member or email me at shepherd@lexingtoncatholic.org.  To volunteer is to make a contribution based on the perception of a need and a degree of affection toward that need.  Once motivated, then one makes a freewill offering of time and talent.

Father Colletti

 

He’s Looking Forward to Your Visit!

Visit the Lord this Friday and every Friday during the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament from 12:00 – 2:45pm in air-conditioned St. Brigid Church.

Please pray for all who are in need of our prayers that God’s healing and comforting presence may be with them, especially Father William Smith, Father Thomas Nestor, Jen Bombaca,  Marianne Slack, Catherine Morley, Elaine Murphy, Deacon Bill Wildes, Edward O’Brien, Rozlyn Torci, John Harper, Patsy Heuchling, Bob Finn, William McCarthy, Verner and Marie Dempsey, Pat White, Anita and William Gorham, Mary Whelan, Patricia McLaughlin, Eleanor Mann, Gerald McCue, Kathleen Brown, Theresa A. Myles, Rev. James O’Donohoe, Betty Garrity, Marylou Merry, Josephine Siders, Douglas DiVito, Mary McGuinnes, Jewel Douglass, Marjorie Kearns, Shannon Capriulo, Joan Wall, Olivia Moran, Suzy Keating, Matthew Langone, and Brianna Cimino.  Please also remember in your prayers all of our deceased parishioners, especially Mary Ann Ambrose.

In Service For Their Country

Lt. John Schiavi, Sgt. Christopher Considine, Timothy Dunbar, Richard Rigley, Chris Cullen, Caitlin R. Battell, Robert McLaughlin, Sean Maddigan, Rev. Paul Passamonti, Airman Jason Cunha, Mark Zarnecki, Patrick J. Nordahl, Scott and Michael Donahue, Lt. Brian Casey, CDR Michael P. MacLellan and 1st Lt. Brian Geary.

Lord Jesus, watch over our sons and daughters in the service of their country.  Give them the courage to serve their country with honor and dignity and grant that when their service is finished they may return to us, sound in mind, body and soul.

Helping Hands

Helping Hands for the month of July is:
Alice Mellican – 781-861-7226.

 

Lexington Food Pantry

The weekend of July 18 and 19 is the collection of non-perishable food at both parishes. Items may be placed in the food bins at St. Brigid and at Sacred Heart at the altar or at the entrances to the church. Cash, supermarket gift cards, and checks made payable to the Lexington Food Pantry are also accepted and may be placed in an envelope and put into the offertory basket or dropped off at the Parish office. Please remember that during these economic times there is a great demand put upon food pantries and your contributions are needed more than ever. We want to thank you for your past generosity and support.

Parish Trip

We are going to Oberammergau in 2010 to see the PASSION PLAY!

It is a 12-day trip, flying out of Logan Airport to Bavaria, Germany.  We will leave on July 14, 2010, arriving in Bavaria Germany where our tour will begin.  On Friday, July 16th we will witness a performance of the Passion Play.  The original performance dates back to 1634. During the Thirty Year War, the village of Oberammergau was spared the Black Plague and for this reason, the villagers vowed that every ten years they would give a play to honor the life of Christ.  The performers are native Oberammergauers, who begin a year in advance to grow their beards and hair for this performance.  We will experience the wonder of 16 cascading lakes at Croatia’s Plitvice Lakes National Park.  Walk in the footsteps of Marco Polo as we explore the medieval city of Korcula.  Discover the magnificence of the ancient Roman Palace of Diocletian.  Follow the path up Apparition Hill in Medjugorje where the six young visionaries first encountered the Virgin Mary in 1981.  On this trip we will visit 4 of the area’s most beautiful countries: Germany, Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.  Sign up for the trip before September 1, 2009 and receive a $200 Seat Reduction.  We have a limited number of seats available for the trip, so sign up as soon as possible.

2009 Catholic Appeal

Responding to God's Grace, Renewing Our Church

Thank you to all supporters of the 2009 Catholic Appeal.  St. Brigid Parish has raised $80,286 from 224 households, reaching 62% of the parish goal of $129,500.  Sacred Heart Parish has raised $23,986 from 85 households, reaching 52.7% of the parish goal of $45,500.  If you have not yet pledged, please consider a gift today and help us meet our goal.  Remember, our parishes will receive 25 percent of all funds we raise above our goal.  Last year St. Brigid Parish received 25% back because they reached their goal.  Please remember to make your pledge now even if you plan on fulfilling that pledge towards the end of the year.  You can pick up information packets with pledge forms in the back of the Church to be mailed in, or for more information please call 617-779-3700 or visit www.BostonCatholicAppeal.com.  Every gift matters.  Thank you!

Looking For Support During Your Job Search?

Seasoned Human Resources and Marketing pros to lead the Lexington Job Support Group (LJSG) for the Catholic Community of Lexington and our friends.  Learn and share  job search strategies, resources and networking tips while getting support during your search for that next great opportunity.  Meetings are the first and third Wednesday of the month, 7:30pm - 9:00pm at Sacred Heart Parish Center. The next meeting is August 5th. Informal, no need to sign up, come on the evenings you are free with a cup of coffee or supper, and invite a friend.  If you have any questions, contact Bob Ludwig at 781-861-7231 or Donna Heuchling at dheuchling(3)

Faith & Environment

 

Life Snipits

A Church is a Gift from God—
Assembly Required.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

10:00 Baptism – SH - Church
Lahey Clinic – Father Colletti on duty

Monday, July 20, 2009

NO EVENTS

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

NO EVENTS

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

NO EVENTS

Thursday, July 23, 2009

NO EVENTS

Friday, July 24, 2009

5:00 Wedding Rehearsal – Lahiff/Flanagan Wedding

Saturday, July 25, 2009

2:00 – Wedding Christine Lahiff & Daniel Flanagan

Congratulations to our new couple!

Have a safe weekend!

The Whole Church Celebrates with You

“We’re getting married!” With these few, simple words, an engaged couple announces the most important decision of their lives.  This decision affects not only the couple, but also their families and friends.  No longer is John just “our son,” “our nephew” or “my college buddy;” no longer is Mary just “my daughter,” “our cousin” or “my friend from work.”  Now they are also partners who have agreed to pledge their lives to each other and form a new family.  As they gather around John and Mary at the wedding, these family members and friends celebrate these changes in relationships.
When a wedding is celebrated in church, there is another level of relation‑ship beyond family and friends, and that involves God and the church.  In their exchange of vows, the couple offers a visible sign of God’s presence and love.  It is an act of worship that takes place in the midst of a Christian community.  In living out their vows, husband and wife share in Christ’s paschal mystery by dying to their own desires so as to live for each other and their children.  Their marriage reflects Christ’s relationship with the church and creates a new family within the community of the church.
A church wedding touches the couple, their families and friends in an especially intimate way, but it also pertains to the local parish and to the larger church. This is what the bishops at the Second Vatican Council meant when they said, “Liturgical services are not private functions but are celebrations of the Church which is ‘the sacrament of unity’” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, 26).  Catholic weddings are parish liturgies and, as such, are often announced in the parish bulletin.  Weddings may even be celebrated within a parish Sunday Mass.  While one may need an invitation to attend the reception, the wedding liturgy is a celebration of the whole church and is open to all parishioners.

St. Brigid
Offertory for July 11th & 12th	$    7,957.50
Envelope Offerings	$    6,969.00
Loose Cash	$       988.50

Out of the 548 envelopes we sent to St. Brigid parishioners, 233 have used their envelopes.

Sacred Heart
Offertory for July11th & 12th	$  4,891.00
Envelope Offerings	$  4,482.00
Loose Cash	$     409.00

Of the 265 envelopes we sent to Sacred Heart parishioners, 86 parishioners have used their envelopes this week.

Thank you to all who so generously contribute to our parishes each week!

—Fr. Colletti

Fun Faith Facts!

Want to purchase a cup of coffee?  That'll cost you three Our Fathers. Want a Coca-Cola?  Five Hail Marys and a Glory Be.  A Cappuccino?  Four Our Fathers.  Holy Spirit Church in Zagreb, Croatia, has opened a "prayer cafe" in the parish hall.  Salesian Father Damir Stojic said, "A lot of kids used to head for neighboring cafes after Mass here.  We came up with this scheme for persuading them to hang out at the church instead."  Other parishioners have taken to the idea as well.

How Do We Look?

St. Brigid’s “curb appeal” has taken a leap forward as the porch and door projects are complete and the steeple project is over 60% complete.  Next on the list of improvement projects: roof repairs in the church and parish center and new carpet in the church.

Lexington Catholic Senior Scholarship Awards

Congratulations to all recipients who received scholarships this year.  We wish you the best of luck in College and all your future endeavors.  Remember you always have a home in our Catholic Community of Sacred Heart and St. Brigid Parishes!!

Our Scholarship recipients are:
Jeremy Bingham
Angelique Bradford
Angela Desmond
Susan Hintlian
Stephen McKenna II
Sophia Nezuh
Kevin Prescilla
Amanda Russo
Emily Sillari
Renee Wilson

Olive Branch Olive Oil

Parishioners and friends in both parishes together bought 14 cases of Olive Oil! Thank you all for joining in this work.  It not only gives crucial support to Palestinian farmers and their families but also maintains their dignity as workers and producers.  Thank You!

REGISTRATIONS FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND CONFIRMATION CLASSES ARE IN THE MAIL.  PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN THE FORMS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Taking a Vacation this Summer?

Here is a suggestion to ponder while you are soaking up sun and sand:  Teaching a class in religious education in the Fall.  We will welcome all volunteers; returning teachers; teachers who have been on “sabbatical” from teaching; volunteers looking for a new ministry.  If interested, please call the Religious Education Office 781-862-8724.  You can also email us.  For grades 1-8, George Begin at george.begin(1).  For grades 9 & 10 Megan Chenaille at megan.chenaille(1)

Welcome to New Parishioners

No matter what your present status in the Catholic Church, no matter what your current family or marital situation, no matter what your current personal history, age, background, race, etc., no matter what your own self-image; you are invited, welcomed, accepted, loved and respected here at St. Brigid and Sacred Heart Parishes.  If you are new to either parish, please introduce yourself to one of our Pastoral Associates, Beverly Good or Mary Peterson, after Mass or at your convenience.  Also, please contact the Parish Offices, 781-862-0335/4646 or e-mail shepherd@lexingtoncatholic.org to register as a member of the parish.

Looking for Summer Reading?

Join parishioners from Sacred Heart and St. Brigid as they read My Life with the Saints by James Martin, SJ.

Our women’s book club officially begins on Thursday, September 17^th, but the group invites you to savor their first selection as the less-chaotic days of summer unfold. 

Here’s the scoop on the book: 

James Martin has led an entirely modern life: from a lukewarm Catholic childhood, to an education at the Wharton School of Business, to the executive fast track at General Electric, to ministry as a Jesuit priest, to a busy media career in Manhattan.  But every step of the way, he has been accompanied by some surprising friends—the saints of the Catholic Church.  Martin's best-selling memoir encompasses saints throughout Christian history—from St. Peter to Dorothy Day, St. Francis of Assisi to Mother Teresa—and chronicles the author's lifelong relationship with them.  His witty, vibrant, and stirring stories enable readers to discover how the saints guide us throughout our earthly journeys and how they help each of us find holiness in our own lives.  Our insiders tell us the book has short chapters, and is easy pick up for a short time.  My Life with the Saints is readily available at your favorite book vendor…for more information about the fledgling book club, contact Maria Griffin at avempg(4)  or Beverly Good at Beverly.Good (1); 781-863-0319, ext. 20. 

Looking for Summer Reading?

Join parishioners from Sacred Heart and St. Brigid as they read My Life with the Saints by James Martin, SJ.

Our women’s book club officially begins on Thursday, September 17^th, but the group invites you to savor their first selection as the less-chaotic days of summer unfold. 

Here’s the scoop on the book: 

James Martin has led an entirely modern life: from a lukewarm Catholic childhood, to an education at the Wharton School of Business, to the executive fast track at General Electric, to ministry as a Jesuit priest, to a busy media career in Manhattan.  But every step of the way, he has been accompanied by some surprising friends—the saints of the Catholic Church.  Martin's best-selling memoir encompasses saints throughout Christian history—from St. Peter to Dorothy Day, St. Francis of Assisi to Mother Teresa—and chronicles the author's lifelong relationship with them.  His witty, vibrant, and stirring stories enable readers to discover how the saints guide us throughout our earthly journeys and how they help each of us find holiness in our own lives.  Our insiders tell us the book has short chapters, and is easy pick up for a short time.  My Life with the Saints is readily available at your favorite book vendor…for more information about the fledgling book club, contact Maria Griffin at avempg(4)  or Beverly Good at Beverly.Good (1); 781-863-0319, ext. 20.